Just Curious

[nailit]

What is your GPs policy if you have an appointment and the doctor that you were due to see goes of sick on the day that you were due to see him/her? Would your surgery rebook your appointment or get you in to see another GP in the practice? (or maybe get another GP in to cover the appointments?)

I posted last week that I had tried for a week to get an appointment and finally got one for today (after waiting another week). Just had a phone call to say that the GP that I was due to see has rang in sick and my appointment has now been rearranged for next week.


Just curious as to how other surgeries operate in this situation. Cant see why the doctors appointments cant be delegated to the other GPs in the practice.
Thanks.

[bednobs]

maybe the other docs are all chokka already. It has never happened to me so couldnt say

[Minkyme]

Sounds completely backwards, is you’d gp from Norfolk by any chance as that sounds like a norfolkian thing to do.

My gp would gently rearrange my appointment with another gp as would all I know of.

(Come on,seriously,Norfolk, right?)

[murraymints]

we are never delegated a doctor, just a time..and whichever is free takes next patient

[Rockrose]

My surgery would make another appointment for an available GP.
Perhaps there are no other appointments available - which is why they have rearranged it for next week, I don't think they can move another patient to make room for these cancelled ones.

[rowanwitch]

They phone and offer a different doctor, or a guarantee of an appointment as soon as the one you want to see is back. If they are going to be away more than a couple of days the entire list is transferred to a locum for the duration

[woofgang]

my surgery would do what they could...I know they have bought in locums in the past....but they are quite creative in how they handle appointments.

[nailit]

Nah, not Norfolk minky, Stoke.
Just bloody frustrating as I tried to get an appointment 2 weeks ago and finally got one for today only for it to be cancelled until next week. Just hope it isn't anything serious...

[nailit]

//I know they have bought in locums in the past....//
My appointment was for 3:15 this afternoon, more than enough time I would have thought to have found a locum, cant see why they havnt.

[Minkyme]

Sounds to me like the gp is doing this on purpose.

Has anything like thus happened before?

[nailit]

//Sounds to me like the gp is doing this on purpose.//
Why would they do this on purpose?

[woofgang]

nailit GP's are self employed. Maybe your surgery can't afford locums, or there may be none available as its holiday time.

[nailit]

Could be woof :-(

[fiction-factory]

>Sounds completely backwards, is you’d gp from Norfolk by any chance as that sounds like a norfolkian thing to do.
My gp would gently rearrange my appointment with another gp as would all I know of. (Come on,seriously,Norfolk, right?)

I can only assume Minkyme was trying to fit in a joke that you had a Norfolkian chance of being seen

[nailit]

//I can only assume Minkyme was trying to fit in a joke that you had a Norfolkian chance of being seen//
Humour bypasses me this early in the day....

[rowanwitch]

Please don't take things the wrong way but have you at any time been unpleasant or rude to them out of frustration or alcohol... Drs receptionists have long memories and the ability to exact subtle revenge.

[nailit]

Rowan, I don't know why people assume that Im unpleasant to doctors receptionists, Im always polite to them, why shouldn't I be?

[Minkyme]

//Drs receptionists have long memories and the ability to exact subtle revenge.//

Just drs receptionionists?

All receptionists or women in general?

Well that’s just vengeful, insidious and evil and would a gps receptionisnt risk her career over a petty thing like this? Would you?

[rowanwitch]

It's easy to get frustrated I have had to bite my tongue on many occasions. At least we know it's not deliberate then. I would suggest it's just a really oversubscribed practice. You might want to complain to the local health authority. They may be able to look at the practice and review their procedures. You are supposed to be able to speak to a doctor on the day even if you don't have an appointment. They need to initiate a call back system.

[rowanwitch]

I knew one or two that might risk it. But they also had the option of reporting a patient and getting them removed from a list.

[nailit]

Rowan, my practice IS a large practice with LOTS of patients and its always difficult to get an appointment. Have to be booked a week in advance unless urgent when triage will ring you back. The GPs are excellent, just a pain trying to get to see one.